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Griffin delivers Redskins over Bears; Cutler hurt

LANDOVER, Md. – Robert Griffin III capped his most complete game of the season -- running and passing -- by leading the winning touchdown drive in the final minutes as the Washington Redskins beat the Chicago Bears 45-41 Sunday.

LANDOVER, Md. – Just like last year, Washington Redskins fans chanted, "RG3, RG3" when it came down to crunch time in the final minutes. In his most just-like-last-year performance of the season, Robert Griffin III delivered.

Griffin threw for 298 yards and two touchdowns. He ran for a season high 84 yards (averaging 7.6 yards on 11 attempts) on his surgically repaired knee. Most importantly, he made big plays in the final minutes on an 80-yard touchdown drive that gave Washington a 45-41 win over the Chicago Bears.

"I just felt like we were in sync. You know, we all refer to last year, even myself, coaches, media, because last year was a great year for us offensively," Griffin said. " … We felt in sync for the first time, I think most of the game, probably the entire game, and that's why the scoreboard reflected it.''

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler limped off with a groin injury in the second quarter after being sacked and did not return. He was replaced by Josh McCown, who got the Chicago offense moving in the second half and threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Martellus Bennett gave the Bears a 41-38 lead with 3:57 left to play.

But that was plenty of time for Griffin to lead the winning drive that ended with a 3-yard touchdown run by Roy Helu Jr. with 45 seconds left. Griffin set up the touchdown with a 10-yard pass to tight end Jordan Reed on third-and-4 from the 13-yard line. Earlier on the drive, he scrambled right and made another third-down conversion with a 7-yard pass to Pierre Garcon.

After the Redskins climbed to 2-4 and Chicago fell to 4-3, Griffin agreed it was his most complete game of 2013. He ran, he passed and he won.

"Without a doubt," he said. "We had a feeling about this game. I know I did. (I) talked to the guys before the game about having a breakthrough. We've been through a lot of adversity … and we needed that breakthrough."

Just as when the Redskins were struggling, Griffin wasn't the only factor. Against Chicago, the Redskins didn't fall behind by a big margin at the half. Washington led 24-17. The running game clicked. Alfred Morris ran for 95 yards and Helu added 41. Reed, the emerging rookie tight end, had nine catches for 134 yards and a touchdown.

And even on a day when it allowed 204 passing yards by McCown in the second half, the Redskins' defense contributed a touchdown on linebacker Brian Orakpo's 29-yard interception return off Cutler before he went out in the second quarter.

But, of course, Griffin was the focus.

"This is was what I've been waiting for," said Orakpo, sidelined nearly all of 2012 by a torn pectoral muscle. "I missed all last season with our offense clicking on all cylinders and a healthy Robert. I was so jealous of those guys last year… Now, it seems like our offense is clicking. Robert is getting his feet back and he's making plays."

Griffin had that last year feeling even before the final drive. Early in the final quarter, he lobbed a 45-yard pass into the end zone to double-covered wide receiver Aldrick Robinson. The ball sailed beyond the reach of Bears cornerback Charles Tillman and safety Chris Conte fell down.

"When I saw him catch it, it was a feeling of last year. … We had that feeling the whole game, and our mojo was definitely working," Griffin said.

Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan on Griffin's day: "He made some big plays. He was able to run the ball. He competed in the running game and made some big-time throws on the run. He led us on a great drive there, a final drive, to put us in the end zone.''

The Redskins' next test will be on the road next Sunday against Shanahan's former team, the Denver Broncos.

"Denver's got an excellent football team, and we get a chance to see them tonight a little bit (on TV against the Indianapolis Colts)," said Shanahan. "But it's big for us because we've dug ourselves a little bit of a hole. We found a way to win today. Hopefully, we can do that next week.''

The Redskins will have to do it against Denver quarterback Peyton Manning. Griffin said he has confidence in the Washington defense, but he added that he is ready for any type of game.

"Like we had to win a shootout today, if we've got to win a shootout in Denver that's what we've got to go out and do," Griffin said.

Chicago heads into a bye week. Though McCown got the offense moving, Bears Coach Marc Trestman welcomed the bye as an opportunity to perhaps get Cutler healthy.

"Well, he leads our team. He's our quarterback," Trestman said after Cutler completed 3-of-8 passes for 28 yards in limited play. "That's why we miss him. We want him out there. … It wasn't the best of starts, but we've seen Jay overcome those during the season. … Hopefully, (the injury) isn't too serious."

Redskins defensive end Chris Baker sacked Cutler on the play on which he was hurt. "It was great to get my first (NFL) sack," said Baker. "I was kind of disappointed he got hurt. You never want someone to get hurt."

Stung by big kick returns the previous week against Dallas, the Redskins yielded a record-tying 81-yard punt return touchdown by the Bears' Devin Hester in the second quarter.

With his 18th kick return touchdown in regular season, Hester matched the NFL career record held by Deion Sanders.

"It just shows you what type of ability a guy like that has because we worked very hard and our coverages were pretty good except for that play," Shanahan said. "You kick the ball too many times to him, and he's gonna break some off."

New York Giants tight end Bear Pascoe (86) is tripped up by Minnesota Vikings strong safety Jamarca Sanford (33) after a pass reception during the first half at MetLife Stadium. 20131021_ajl_sn3_075.JPG
Jim O'Connor, USA TODAY Sports